Music awards show tries to get hip

Los Angeles Times

Published Friday, November 12, 2004

HOLLYWOOD -- "Awards shows have to be of the moment now," says Dick Clark, a shoo-in for a lifetime achievement award if they ever had an awards show for awards shows. Clark's 31st annual American Music Awards air on ABC Sunday night, and although the early years of the show may have been like yearbooks reflecting on the previous year's hits, this new edition is very much November 2004 in its staging, with Gwen Stefani making her national television debut as a solo performer, and TV stars among presenters. There is some of the strange award-show time warp in the nominees. Take nominees for artist of the year, which include Evanescence and OutKast -- it only feels as if those albums came out three years ago -- up against Norah Jones, Kenny Chesney and Usher.

"It's all very, very current this year," Clark said, "which is wonderful but may be a little shocking for the older viewers."